ORIENTATE Symposium: Online booking now opening

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Great news! Tickets for our Oct/Nov events are on sale now. We have a fantastic line up of international presenters for the Orientate Symposium in Cork including our keynote speaker Francesca Giubilei from GLASSTRESS (IT). There are also places available on our workshops in Cork and Dublin! Angela Thwaites will be leading a Glass Casting workshop in the National College of Art and Design (Dublin) and Cappy Thompson will teach a Glass Painting workshop at the National Sculpture Factory (Cork).

Buy Tickets HERE

GSoI Nov Events 2013

So we have had a very busy year so far at GSoI but its not over yet! In Nov we will be having  a series of exciting events in both Dublin and Cork - workshops, an exhibition and a conference with a fantastic line up of speakers...

 Here's a little taster so you can be sure to put us in your dairy!

CultureCraft: Craft in the Making @ The London Street Gallery, Derry

(If you haven't seen it yet there's still time, but hurry the final day, August 22nd is fast approaching!)

 CultureCraft: Craft in the Making is an engaging exhibition at the London Street Gallery that challenged 37 craft artists to create an original work in response to the question of culture and how that may or may not play a role in their practice. 

Derry-Londonderry has been named as the inaugural UK City of Culture 2013. CultureCraft is part of a series of events across the city that is both a response to and a celebration of the city's great achievement. The exhibition venue is located in the old part of the city, near the iconic walls so central to the political and cultural heritage of the city. The temporary gallery can be seen as a key symbol in the regeneration of a city with a rich but not always rosy history. It aims to promote both established and emerging artists and preform a social role within the arts community of the city.

Seliena Cloyle at CultureCraft

Derry native and contemporary jeweller Seliena Coyle curated the exhibition and it is safe to say that its outstanding success is a direct result of her passion and enthusiasm in the cause of promoting Irish craft and culture. Seliena's personal work is heavily involved with developing a new jewellery aesthetic that is sensitive to Irish heritage and cultural traditions. Asked about the exhibition she remarked that, 'People involved in craft will be surprised by this exhibition. Nothing of this standard in craft has ever happened before in the North West. It is going to be a real showcase for craft in Derry, and hopefully will inspire and create an environment where contemporary craft will be embedded in the city.'

The artists own cultural identities and backgrounds are as diverse as the materials they work with. Ranging from recent graduates to established professionals and educators in the fields of textiles, jewellery, glass, ceramics, felting, metalwork and mixed  media they are the crème de la crème of contemporary Irish craft-artists. CultureCraft aims to introduce the concept of craft as a vehicle for creative expression equal to the traditional 'fine arts' so both the artistic intention and the highly skilled craftsmanship are highlighted in the exhibition. 

Participating artists with the mayor of Derry

Here's a full list of participating artists: 

Glass work from Scott Benefield @CultureCraft

Tom Agnew, Neil Read, Alex Scott, Adam Frew, Peter Meanley, Gail Mahon, Peter Fulop (Glass) Scott Benefield, Caroline Madden, Peadar Lamb, Alva Gallagher, James Toal, Charlene McFarland Stuart Cairns, Rachel McKnight, Eily O Connell, Sabrina Meyns, Justyna Truchanowska, Cara Murphy, Angela O Kelly, Grainne Morton, Nigel Cheney, Helen McAllister,  Mary Cullen, Tara Ní Nuáillan, Liz Nilson, Caroline Schofield, Logan McLain, Brigitta Varadi, Liam Flynn, Joe Hogan, Richard Sinclair, Seliena Coyle, Deirdre O Callaghan, Suzanne Woods  

Nigel Cheeny's  printed and embroidered
tape measure @CultureCraft

It is often said that one of the reasons contemporary craft has a difficult time competing in the art market is the lack of critical and academic writing on the subject. Thankfully, the exhibition is contextualised by essays from a number of  leading academics, including Dr Audrey Whitty, Dr Jessica Hemmings, Dr Joseph McBrinn and Professor Declan McGonagle. Their essays will all feature in the CultureCraft catalogue, which will be available soon. 

Well done to all involved with this excellent exhibition and lets hope to see more like it soon.  

The project is sponsored by; Derry City Council, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Craft NI, Crafts Council of Ireland, Creative Village Arts, Inner City Trust and The Culture Company.

Check out this exhibition: London Street Gallery opening times: Tuesday - Saturday; 11am-4pm until August 22nd. Free entry, all welcome! 

For further information about the exhibition please contact:

culturecraftinthecity@gmail.com

londonstreetgallery@gmail.com

Web-links:  

http://www.londonstreetgallery.org

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/CultureCraft/145233802309679?fref=

http://pinterest.com/seliena/culturecraft/

Written by: Meadhbh McIlgorm